Mustang Sally’s Journal
April 21st, 2008 Posted in UncategorizedGreeting AT group members:
I’m in Hot Springs, North Carolina. Got here around 8 am and went straight for the local diner for a big breakfast of 3 pancakes and 2 eggs up (think next time I will get 2 pancakes plus the eggs). It was a GREAT breakfast. Hiked in for that breakfast 3.5 miles so was up and out of the shelter around 7am.
Weather has been good during the days (around 65/70 degrees) but the wind is still cool. Gets down in the 40’s during the nights.
Staying in a historical home here in Hot Springs. The owner is a chef and he has turned the place into a youth hostel. He cooks dinner and breakfast (only organic) with a lot of the stuff coming from his garden. The cost is $l5 a nite with dinner at $10 and breakfast at $8. Staying here tomorrow for a zero day and then off Sunday morning after breakfast of course (smile).
Next stop will be Erwin, Tennessee; 68.1 miles. I plan on four days to reach the town.
I have now hiked 271.7 miles; only 1,904.5 miles to Katahdin.
I lost my small group in the Smokies. I woke up cold at the Icewater Spring Shelter and took out of the shelter around 7 am so I could get warm. As I was hiking it started to rain and then snow. The rest of the group when they got up decided to turn back to Gatlinburg. I figure they are about 2-3 days behind me. However, new groups are forming all the time, as some people push a little further and suddenly you are in another informal group.
Speaking of groups, sometimes the only time you see these people are at the shelter. Each of us hike our own hike, so you may spend the whole day by yourself on the trail. I can do it both ways as each has its pluses and minuses.
Still haven’t weighted myself. Never found a scale yet at any of these hostels. Thanks to all the people that have sent me messages and/or given me news from home.
Oh, I almost forget. Clingmans Dome at 6,643 feet is the highest point on the AT. The day I hiked up this mountain is was socked in and you could only see about 200 feet in front of you. I had in my mind this mountain would be a bear to climb, but it was very gradual and it took me three/fourths of the way up to realized that I was hiking up Clingmans Dome.
The shelters I will be staying in next week are named (1) spring Mtn Shelter, (2) Jerry Cabin Shelter, (3) Hogback Ridge shelter and (4) Bald Mtn shelter. Erwin has a movie theater and a mexican restaurant. Sounds good to me.
I’m getting tired so will sign off. Keep those e-mails coming. Thanks again for keeping me in the circle of what’s happening in the world at large.
Me: Mustang Sally
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